Frosted Leaves
by FragileStateofSanity
Summary: "You don't have to be alone Jack" Maybe Jack wasn't alone for all of those years (I don't own RotG but I do own my OC and this plot) (this is my first fanfic so be nice) (Please feel free to leave a review, I'd appreciate it)
1. Maroon

Darkness, that's the first thing I see. It's dark, it's cold and I'm scared. Something is covering me, if I move even the slightest inch I hear a crunching sound. I can't get up; the atmosphere is too heavy, or I'm just too weak. Then all of a sudden, the weight blows off me; as if it's light as air. Now it's bright, so bright that it hurts my eyes. I'm so confused.

I decide to open my eyes and right in front of me is a luminous orb. The moon, it's so bright that it feels like all the fear and darkness just melt off me. I try to get up again but it was no use, I'm still too weak. Then I start to rise, as if someone's lifting me. I look around startled to see who's there, but I see no one but trees.

Fear strikes me again as I start to struggle against the invisible force. I'm really high up now, so high that I stop moving so it won't drop me. It makes me face the moon and yet again the fear just goes away. As I'm being lowered to the ground I can't keep my eyes off the sliver blaze, as if it has me in a trance. My feet touch the ground and I hear that crunch again, I look down desperately to see what's causing the sound. On the ground is the most pristine bed of beautifully coloured leaves. I pick up a handful of them and look back up at the moon.

"Your name is Autumn leaves," I don't even have to look around to see who it is; it's the moon.

"Thank you," I say.

I then look back down at the leaves in my hand; they're reddish tones, all with their own unique colour. Confused, I look up at the trees and notice that their leaves are all green. Then something else catches my attention, something on my back. I drop the leaves and grab the object, as I get a good hold of it; I pull until it come off. It's an arrow, a wooden arrow carved by hand with beautiful red, yellow and orange leaves on the end.

"Did you do this?" I ask looking up at the moon, but he doesn't answer. Instead he shines a beam of light onto a piece of wood laying on the grass in the distance. I start to approach it cautiously to find that it's a bow. To test my skills, I pick up the bow, pull back the string, focus on a tree about 10ft away as my target, and release. I hit my target dead-on. Stunned I approach the arrow, grab it in the middle and pull as hard as I can.

The second the arrow's out of the wood, a red light spirals up the trunk and turns the green leaves red. I stand there both shocked and amazed. I reach out curiously to the tree beside me and touch it. Again, a blinding light shoots up the bark and turns all the leaves a maroon colour. Amazed I start to laugh, using my new-found power to turn all of the tree's leaves dark red without even touching them.

After all the leaves are red I notice smoke above the trees. I start to run, worried that someone may be hurt. I run through bushes and jump over logs until I finally reach the source of the smoke. A bonfire was in the middle of a small village filled with people. I stand there mesmerized by the crackling fire until something happened.

Pain, cold pain surges through my body. Then it happens again, and again, and again. I walk up to a woman sitting on a bench and ask.

"Excuse me but what's going on?" she never replies. Now I'm getting frustrated "ma'am," but she still doesn't respond. Just before I'm about to walk away she stands up and walks right through me. There's that pain again, people are walking through me as if I'm a ghost. Confused I walk away, never noticing that someone is watching the entire thing.


	2. Auburn

As I walk through the forest and ponder over what just happened I have the distinct feeling that someone's following me. I spin around, bow ready upon hearing a twig snap to find a boy. He appears to be the same age as me but with deathly pale skin, messy snow-white hair and electric blue eyes; he almost looks frozen. He's wearing a white V-neck long sleeve shirt, brown vest and pants with a layer of frost around the ankles. He's also wearing a frosted poncho that comes to life when he moves and a wooden staff with a G-shaped end.

"Can you see me?" he says with hopeful eyes.

"Yes," I say quietly; I approach the boy cautiously and as I get closer, the more panic fills his face. I put my arrow back in it's quiver attempting to calm him but it doesn't work. Once I was face to face with him I reach out to touch his arm, my fingers brush against his skin and I jerk them back.

"You can see me," he says shocked. My mind was racing. "Did the moon talk to you?" he asks intrigued.

"Ya, but he only said what my name is; Autumn Leaves," I say trying to hide the fact that I didn't know.

"He told me that I'm Jack Frost," I laugh.

"What?"

"Oh, it's just that you look like an icicle with your white hair and blue eyes; like frost," I say laughing.

"Oh ya, well you look like a leaf with your red hair and green eyes," he says with a mocking tone. I look down at my hair; in a neat auburn braid.

"Ya, I guess I do." We both start laughing, then Jack pointed his staff at the sky and two seconds later snow begins to fall. I started laughing, swipe my hand in the air making all the leaves fall off the trees.

Something cold hits the back of my head and starts running down my back. I spin around to see Jack with a snowball ready in his hand, challenging me to throw one at him. I accept, pick up a handful of the cold wet snow and hit him square in the face. He obviously wasn't expecting this because he falls backwards. Before he gets up I grab his staff.

"What is your deal with this stick?" I ask while examining the object. He grabs it back.

"It's a staff," he says with defense, "and it was sort of just there when I woke up."

"Same with me, but you know, mines not a stick," I say while laughing. He tries to hit me with another snowball but I dodge it with ease, he starts throwing more and more.

Now I'm getting annoyed but I know he won't stop so I take an arrow, pull back the string and release. The arrow imbeds itself in the tree two inches away from Jack's head. He stands there motionless, eyes wide and I stand here with a smirk on my face. After a minute, I sigh still seeing that shocked look.

"I was aiming for the tree; I never miss," I announce proudly. Jack finally breaks out of his shock and smiles.

"You really don't know how to have fun do you?" Something strange happens, I see Jack but he's different. He has brown hair and eyes, it was only for a second.


	3. Cardinal

_300 hundred years later_

As I fly around Russia blowing all of the leaves off the trees my mind starts to wander. Before I know it, my work is done. I reach into my pocket and pull out a hand full of leaves put them up to my mouth and whisper.

"Burgess," I let go of the leaves as they drift in the wind and open up a swirling portal showing my tree.

Without hesitation, I fly through the portal and land on the rock beside the old trunk. Since I spend almost all of my time here the leaves remain red. I fly up to the thickest branch and sit down. My mind begins to wander against my control. I start to wonder about things that I've never really wondered about before.

Suddenly a picture flashes in my eyes. A young girl, can't be older than 10. Is sitting in the tree smiling and laughing. She has straight blonde hair and brown eyes, she looks awful familiar. The girl is wearing a dark blue dress with white strips. I know I've seen her before but I can't but my finger on it.

Then I feel a cold gust of wind whip playfully across my face; Jack. I look down and see the branch begin to frost. I shake my head clearing my eyes and try to focus on whatever I was thinking about before.

"Hey you wouldn't believe what happened in New York today," Jack says with obvious excitement. I shoot him a smile but I know he isn't buying it. "What's wrong?" he says with concern. I look at the ground.

"300 years Jack," I say slowly "300 years and still not one person has seen us." I look up to the moon. "The moon won't answer any of our questions; why?" I say confused. "I don't want to be like this forever, I want people to see me, I want to know why I'm here and most of all…" I look at Jack "I want to know if I had a past, if I wasn't always like this." I say gesturing to myself. Jack sits down beside me.

"Someday we'll find the answers," he says while trying to catch my gaze.

"But what if we don't, what if were stuck looking for answers that don't have one," I say while running my finger across my bow. Then the wind whistles in my ear "Jack, the wind says that Russia needs snow," I say knowing that Jack can't understand the wind. I'm the spirit of fall so I have a stronger connection between the wind than anyone else. Jack can ride and talk to the wind but he can't understand it.

"Russia can wait," Jack says.

"No, you need to do your job; it's the only thing we know were doing right," I say looking at him to try and be persuasive.

"Ok," Jack says standing up. "I'll be back."

"I'll be here," I say while putting on my most convincing smile.

I watch as Jack fly's off towards Russia leaving a trail of snow. I stand up, go to the trunk of the tree and sit back down; resting my back on the wooden surface. For a while I just sit there watching the frost melt off the branch as I wait for Jack to return. Eventually I let my mind wander hoping to subside the boredom.


	4. Chestnut

_1 year later_

 _Unknown_

Feet pound against pavement in a panicked manner with a silhouette of a man not too far behind. The girl takes sharp turns and jumps gates attempting to escape but with no avail. She propels a blast of magic at the shadow but misses and hits a wall sending ivy's spiraling up. The dark form multiplies and starts guiding the young spirit. The child is cornered down a narrow ally way. The immortal spins around wide eyed to see a man emerge from the shadows.

"Don't do this," she scrambles for words. "You don't know what you're doing."

"Don't I?" his voice says almost like a purr.

"Just tell me what you want so we can move on," the legend sighs. The shadow man laughs pointing at her pocket.

"I want something very close to you." Confused she digs out a beaten-up piece of wood with a vine connected.

"My sling-shot, what could you possibly want with it," she says in defense.

"None of you concern, now we could do this the easy way" he out-stretches his hand "or the hard way, your choice."

"You'll have to kill me first," the girl yells.

"Now Lily, I thought you were smarter than that," he smiles. Lily backs away slowly.

"Pitch, think about what you're doing." Pitch lifts his hand and snaps his fingers, at that moment all of the street lights go out. All that can be heard is Lily's scream. When the lights come back on she is gone, all that is left of her is the sling-shot deserted on the ground. Pitch laughing, approaches the item. When he picks it up a dark hue sets over the object.

"One down, three to go," he says to his shadows.


	5. Vermilion

Jack's point of view

It's officially been a year since our battle with pitch and since I last saw Autumn. I sit in the middle of my frozen pond contently watching the leaves float off the trees. Then I notice that they're all shades of vermilion. The lighter Autumn's work is; the less happy she is. Vermilion is one of the lightest shades I've seen. In the sky standing out against all of the dull colours are silky pastel patterns.

I spring up from my sitting position and rush off to the pole. North rarely uses the northern lights so it must be something important. The second I get to the pole I know somethings up. All of the Guardians are standing in front of the globe still as statues. I leap through the window and inspect the sphere. The lights are brighter than ever and the rotation seems fine.

"What's wrong with the globe," I say smirking when they jump.

"Good, all of the Guardians are here so I can tell you why I've called," says a familiar voice; the moon. I walk over to join the others not taking my eyes off of the crescent. "Pitch is back and strong; stronger than he's ever been," Manny says lifelessly. "The spirit of spring disappeared last night without a trace, there is no evidence but I believe that Pitch was behind it." I look over at the others, none of them showing any emotion.

"Just in case I want you to get help from another seasonal spirit, they are strong and unpredictable," All of the eyes in the room stare at me; it's making me extremely uncomfortable. "Jack, I want you to bring Autumn," Manny says snapping me back to reality. Manny disappears and I let out a long sigh.

"Autumn?" Tooth asks curiously.

"Autumn Leaves, she's the fall spirit," I say not taking my eyes at the ground.

"Where is she?" Bunny says with furrowed eyebrows.

"She's in Burgess," I say still not meeting anyone's gaze.

"You should go get her then," says Bunny with what almost sounded like concern.

"She's not exactly going to come easily," I say finally looking up. North hands me a snow globe and the sack. "Thanks," I say flatly. Before anyone could say anything else I jump out the window and fly off to Burgess. Autumn is not going to be happy.


	6. Blood

Autumn's point of view

After changing all of the leaves red; well attempted at red but the best I could do was vermillion. I just can't stop thinking about Jack. I finally reach my tree and land on a thick branch. I look up to the moon and ask.

"Why won't you answer my questions?" "Why am I here? What am I meant to do? When will you tell me?" I ask impatiently, I sigh. "Can you at least tell me that Jack is alright?" and after no acknowledgment I give up. I start walking down the branch watching the spiraling light beneath my feet.

Then all of a sudden red fabric impairs my vison as my feet are wiped out from under me. I immediately panic upon noticing that my bow isn't with me. My mind begins racing; I have three options. I can try and get out of the bag; I pry my hands through the top to find that someone has a very strong grip. I can call for the wind; then I remember that I'm in a bag.

I can cut my way out, I take one of my arrows and try and cut through the fabric to find that it feels like it's made of steel. I suddenly feel the cold rush of going through a portal. This isn't like my portals though; mine feel dry and smell like pine. This one feels wet and smells like chimney. I then feel the end of the portal and am being set down.

The second the sack hits the ground I spring from the bag. I point my arrow at four spirits, all have the look of shock. I notice my bow laying on the ground, I pick it up and examine it still pointing my arrow at the strangers. After I ensure that my bow is undamaged I connect my arrow and aim at the four. I take in my surroundings and find a dirty old sack with frost spiraling over top. Confused I look around some more to notice a figure standing in the corner. He has a blue hood covering his face and a G-shaped staff.

"Jack?" I say with sadness overwhelming my other emotions. I put my bow down and my arrow back in its quiver. I immediately replace my shock with anger. I cross my arms "Been a long-time Jack, where've you been?" I ask harshly. One of the four strangers clear his throat.

"Autumn Leaves we need your help," I turn to him.

"Ya, with what?" I say with unusual sternness.

"Pitch Black, he is back and you must help defeat him," he says with a Russian accent.

"Huh, and why should I help you?" I ask bitterly. Everyone looks taken back by my comment and I take that opportunity to surge through the window with Jack close behind.


	7. Crimson

I fly, fly faster than I thought possible. Jack is behind me but having trouble keeping up. He's begging me to stop but I tune him out. I search for anything familiar, there are no leaves on the trees so I can't open a portal and I have no idea where I am. I'm starting to get frustrated, I can feel all of my emotions well up inside me.

"Autumn," Jack says irritated. I snap around; the air stops, hitting Jack like a brick wall. My bow starts glowing a dangerous red and the wind begins to storm.

"Why?" I yell over the invisible barrage. "Why did you not come back? Why did you break your promise?" I yell with fire in my eyes.

"Look I tried but couldn't find you," Jack says with his head down in shame. I let out a long sigh and let my shoulders slump; I hate seeing Jack like this. My bow stops glowing and the wind settles.

"Then you obviously didn't look hard enough," I say sadly. I turn to fly away but Jack stops me.

"Wait, Autumn we really do need your help."

"But why me?" I say confused.

"Because we need the magic of a seasonal spirit," he says slowly.

"You're one too," I say.

"Yes, but we need two," he says through clenched teeth.

"Then ask Lily, she would be more than willing to help," I say frustrated.

"Autumn, Lily is missing. We think Pitch is behind it and we need you." The news about Lily hits me harder than it should, we didn't really know each other that well.

"Ok, who is this pitch and who were those spirits back there?" I say with irritation.

"Pitch is the boogeyman," my face fell "those spirits were the Guardians," Jack says shamefully.

"The Guardians," I say with amazement.

"I am a Guardian," Jack says keeping his head down. There is a moment of silence.

"Why did you join the Guardians?" I say angrily. Jack looks down. "Hmm," I say.

"Autumn, the Guardians helped me, kids believe in me, I know my past," Jack says looking up "I know they will help you too," Jack raises an eyebrow "are you in." I laugh at his childish behaver.

"Jack, I don't know if I can."

"I know you can," he says with a laugh.

"OK," anger replaces my other emotions. "But just to be clear I am doing this for Lily, not for you."

"Crystal, come on I'll race you there," Jack says with excitement.

"You're on," I say with an equal amount of joy. I would never show it but I did miss having fun with him. Jack and I race back towards the pole. I beat Jack by two seconds, leap through the window and my jaw drops. A man dressed in all black is standing in the middle of the room while the Guardians are acting chaotic. Jack jumps through the window and mutters under his breath.

"Pitch."

"That's Pitch!" I say "I can't do this." The man I suspect is North is swigging around swords at auburn coloured flames, the half bird spirit I guess is Tooth is trapped in a glass box acting frantic, the large rabbit I think is Bunny is being chased by a pure black coloured mastiff and the little gold man that must be Sandy is fighting an ebony sand horse with honey coloured eyes. Jack let out a scream and I notice that the floor underneath him was cracking, he covers it in a layer of frost to have it shatter. I watch confused as the Guardians struggle, I look at Pitch fearfully; that was my mistake. Pitch snaps his head in my direction with hungry eyes. His eyes glows neon and then dim, he shoots me a smile.

I feel a tap on my shoulder, I spin around armed to find… myself. Someone who looked exactly like me but with jet black hair, clothes and canary coloured eyes; it gives me shivers. The other me takes out a sand arrow, attaches it to her bow and release. I try to dodge but I wasn't quick enough; the arrow leaves a shallow cut in my arm. As a reflex, I shoot at the duplicate. Before the arrow hit, the duplex disappears in a puff of black smoke. The other Guardian's problems vanish too. All of us turn towards Pitch.

"Hope you had fun," Pitch says with a smile.

"Oh, ya great fun," Jack says sarcastically.

"Oh, you didn't enjoy your fears," Pitch says with fake shock.

"Our fears?" I ask.

"Yes, your fear is quite entertaining," Pitch says with a smirk. "I'm sorry; I don't believe we've been introduced, Onyx," Pitch says as the other me appears with a simper.

"Her name is Autumn Leaves and she is so… easy," Onyx says with a disgusted look on her face.

"So, old friend," Pitch says looking at the moon "this is the spirit who is supposed to defeat me, well I must say that I'm disappointed." "You can't kill fear Autumn" Pitch whispers into my ear.

"Get away from her!" Jack yells while slamming an ice bolt in Pitch's face.

He then runs into the shadows and Onyx disappears in a puff of smoke. The Guardians race after Pitch except for Sandy who is trying to avoid him as much as he can. I look down and notice there's a cut which has black spiraling out. I cover it hoping that no one noticed. The Guardians come back from observing the shadows.

"Are you alright?" Jack asks with an angered expression surveying the shadows.

"Ya, fine," I say breaking out of my shock. Jack didn't look convinced but he never pushed it. The Guardians offer me to stay the night but I refuse; I just really need to get away and let all of this soak in.

"Well you're not going out there alone, not with Pitch roaming the streets," Jack says obviously talking about him.

"Fine meet me at my tree in half an hour," I say to Jack annoyed.

"Why half an hour?" Tooth asks.

"Well I have to do my job," I say as if it was obvious. Without another word, I fly out the window. I don't know where I'm going but it has to be away from the Guardians.


	8. Magenta

_Jack's point of view_

I fly back to Autumn's tree and wait for her to return. I entertain myself with decorating the branches with frost. Drowsiness overcomes me and I close my eyes. Suddenly a portal opens and out comes Autumn. I feel something happening to the branch underneath me but I'm too tired to care.

"What are you doing?" she says with interest. I open my eyes.

"Trying to sleep."

"Jack, you know we don't sleep," she says confused. That's right, Autumn probably has never had a dream. I smile.

"Trust me, you met Sandy, he'll give you a dream." I try and sleep again only a minute later I feel a shake on my shoulder. I open my eyes guessing that it's Autumn but find Pitch. I quickly stand up and raise my staff threatingly.

"Now, now Jack let's not be difficult." He smiles "you don't want to wake her do you." I look over at Autumn to see black sand swirl above her head. I try to run to her but Pitch catches my hood and lifts me in the air. Once we're hundreds of feet up he lets go and the real battle begins.

I shoot a bolt of ice at him but he blocks it with a shield of black sand, braking it and sending the shards at my head. I dodge all but one which leaves a little cut on my cheek. Pitch throws more attacks which are hard to see in the dark of night. I could only dodge a couple of the them so in the end I'm pretty beat up, the wind is the only thing keeping me up. "The staff Jack, hand it over," he yells.

"Why?" I say weakly.

"Let's just say, it's for my collection." Pitch sends one more attack that I'm unable to dodge and I black out.


	9. Rust

_Autumn's point of view_

I fly around somewhere in Canada changing all of their leaves a rusty red; good enough. Once my work is done I open a portal to my tree. After a long sigh, I jump through and land in Burgess. Jack was sitting on a thin branch and almost looked like he was sleeping. Just as a precaution I grow the branch to be thicker. I float up to Jack and ask.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to sleep," he says while opening his eyes.

"Jack, you know we don't sleep," I say wondering what he was talking about.

"Trust me, you met Sandy, he'll give you a dream," he says with a smile and then goes back to 'sleep'. I fly up to the branch above him and sit down; resting my back on the trunk. I close my eyes and immediately fall into a deep slumber.

 _At first all I could see was yellow. Then a picture of land and sky almost as if I was drifting in the wind, I couldn't move, couldn't_ _look down, I just seemed to be stuck there; I was just stuck there in the sky with absolute no control. All of a sudden I start to lower beside a bank of water. Once I land all I can see is my reflection. Then the warm golden glow turns black and cold._

 _In my reflection, I see myself change. My hair and clothes turn jet black, my eyes turn metallic gold and my skin fades to a dull grey. I jump away startled to find Pitch standing above me._

 _"Hello my little nightmare," he says harmoniously. I grab an arrow to find that it was made of sand._

 _"What did you do to me?" I say with horror._

 _"No Autumn, what did you do?" he says and disappears._

 _Then my surroundings fade into a dark chamber with the guardians tied up against a black brick wall. An arrow fly's inches away from my face. I spin around to find… myself. But it was the real me, the one with auburn hair and green eyes. Then it hit me; I'm Onyx._

My eyes snap open to find nothing but darkness. After my eyes adjust I notice that I'm covered in black sand. I stand up and wipe it off. Then I remember something; Jack. I look to the branch bellow me to find that he is gone. The skies are empty and the wind feels warm. There is only one thought crossing my mind; somethings wrong.

"Wind," I say urgently.

 ** _Yes_**.

"Do you know where Jack is?" I ask the invisible spirit.

 ** _No, I sorry but I haven't seen him since yesterday_.**

"Ok, thank you," I say slumping my shoulders.

Then an idea strikes me; the guardians. As much as I don't want to go back, they might know where Jack is. I grab a handful of leaves, step off my branch and into the embrace of the wind. I hold them up to my lips and whisper; North Pole. When in the portal I let my mind wander.

Maybe I'm overreacting, Jack probably just got bored. Before I know it I'm right in front of a window. For a moment, I don't know where I am but quickly find out. Inside is the guardians, the wind must've known the way. I leap through the open frame. Everyone looks at me in shock.

"Have any of you seen Jack?" I say with a hint of sadness.

"Oh, he's probably freezing a water park or something," Bunny says with the least bit of concern. The rest seemed to agree with him but I don't. It just doesn't add up, why would he leave so suddenly. Well it wouldn't exactly be the first time. Out of the corner of my eye I see something moving.

I turn to see a black object dancing in the air almost like a flame. As I get closer I notice that it's sand, like the sand that I was covered in when I woke up. I put my hand underneath the item to have it fall into my palm. I tilt my hand and watch it pour to the ground like an hourglass. The sand then takes a sudden jerk and off to the other side of the room.

More black sand appears and starts to take a form, a form of a man. Two yellow orbs materialize and stare at me; Pitch. The guardians spring up armed from their positions, but I didn't. He isn't attacking us, he's smiling like he did something.

"What do you want?" I ask. Everyone stares at me like I'm crazy, except Pitch who just continues smiling.

"I've come to spread fear," he says while throwing something at my feet. I look down to see a slingshot, Lily's slingshot but it's different. It's darker, almost as if I'm seeing it at night. Now I'm angry; I rip an arrow out of my quiver, connect it to my bow and aim it at Pitch's head.

"What have you done to her!" I yell. The guardians look at me confused but don't let their guard down.

"Now, don't get angry yet," Pitch says and throws another object at my feet.

It takes me a while to make out what the idem is but then it hit me, It's Jack's staff. I take off my arrow and protect my bow not keeping my eyes off Pitch. I know what he wants, I don't know why but he desires something of mine. The guardians are shocked and some look close to tears. Pitch then disappears in a cloud of smoke along with the gadgets.


	10. Flame

For the first couple minutes, I am unable to move; half from shock and half from grief. It doesn't add up, what does Pitch want our items for; to him they're just pieces of wood. Anyway, Jack and Lily are immortal; they can't die. My mind begins racing with questions. I feel a tiny hand on my shoulder making me snap out of my daze.

"My bow," I scramble for the right words "he wants my bow." I look down "I have to find August," I say in a low voice. Just before I'm about to jump out the window.

"Stop," I turn around to see everyone staring at me. "Autumn you can't go out there, if Pitch's after your bow then you aren't safe," Tooth pleads. I can feel my face get hot hoping no one notices.

"What do you care about my safety," I say glaring at them. "You never cared!" I say not being able to hide the hurt in my voice. "You're supposed to protect children!" I almost yell. "What about us?" I clench turning my knuckles white. "Jack is gone!" I can't hold it in anymore, I let the tears pour out. The guardians look shocked and guilty at my outburst but I continue. "I am not going to let my only other friend die, even if it kills me in the process," without another word I propel out the window. I wipe the tears from my eyes "wind?"

 **Yes?**

"Locate August please," I say urgently, I need to get to him before Pitch does.

 **Currently he is in Death Valley, California. But I would not request going there, the temperatures are far too high for your survival.**

"I don't care, take me there," I say with determination.

The wind begins to carry me off quickly to California. A bead of sweat rolls down my face as we get closer to California. Out of all places August could be, Death Valley is where he is? One of the hottest places on earth. Now I know why Jack never talks to him, that and they never really got along well. Jack and August fight every time they see each other, I guess it's because they're polar opposites.

August is the spirit of summer but not all nice. He is a hot head, sometimes ignorant and never does anything that he doesn't want to do. More sweat covers my face and my vision begins to swim with the heat. Buzzards circle over my head and above the blazing sun. A green sign rushes past me and I hope it says Death Valley, the heat makes it hard for me to see. The wind sets me down but my knees give out making me fall hard on the cracked ground.

"Go… get… August," I say weakly.

I am forced to rest my head on the dessert dirt before I pass out. I hope August comes quickly because I don't know how much longer I can stand this. After about ten minutes I see a water figure at the edge of the horizon. As it gets closer it starts to glitch. Before I know it, the figure is shaking my shoulders yelling something that sounds like mumbles to me.

"August," I say with slurred words. August picks me up and with the help of the wind brings me hopefully somewhere cooler. It seems like an eternity before we reach a cool forest. August sets me down resting my back on the trunk of a tree.

"Autumn what were you thinking, you could have died," He says with obvious worry.

"I need to warn you," I say in a hoarse voice.

"About what?" he says.

"Someone is after us, he already killed Jack and Lily," I say with sadness.

"Jack and Lily are dead?" August asks with shock. August stands up and rubs the back of his neck.

"August, we need to get out of here…" I say before I am interrupted.

"How did they die?" he says frustrated. August may be hard to read but it doesn't take a genius to know that he's upset.

"That would because of me," says a voice from in between the trees.

August turns around startled, grabbing his dagger from his back pocket and pointing it threatingly at Pitch. I scramble to get to my feet but I can't seem to find my balance. I fumble with my arrow as I try to attach it to my bow. I draw back the string but am having trouble focusing where Pitch is, my vision is too cloudy and blurry. Pitch laughs mockingly and raises his hand ready to strike me.

Faster than my brain can comprehend, August jumps in front of me blocking the blow. Ropes of black sand wrap around his body making him lift into the air. August dagger drops to the ground and for some reason I can't take my eyes off of it. I've never really gotten to see it up close. It has a handle much like a kitchen knife.

Beautiful designs are hand carved on the blade, he must have spent a long time doing them. At the edge of each end of the handle is a red gem, dazzling in the sunlight. I reach down and touch the cold metal. I lift it as a shadow sets over my hand. The dagger whips suddenly threw the air and lands in Pitch's embrace, August is nowhere to be seen. I mindlessly start calling his name, oblivious about what situation I am in. My fingers are black as if the shadow is still upon them but disappears faster than I can get a good look at it.

"What did you do to him," I stumble with my words.

"Why do you care, you were more interested in his dagger than August," Pitch says with an evil grin.

"I do care!" I yell in defense.

"Really?" he asks. "I'm bored, Onyx" he calls. Onyx appears in a puff of smoke as Pitch disappears. Onyx shoots three arrows at me, all of them miss. Apparently, Onyx is as disoriented as me.

"Hand over the bow!" she yells.

"Never!" I answer. I shoot arrow after arrow trying to hit my target but with no avail, Onyx isn't having much luck either. I hold my stance for a few seconds, watching as the world twist and turn. I release the arrow but before it makes contact with Onyx's shoulder she disappears. My sight goes dark and I rush to the ground, but never make impact.


	11. Coral

The wind playfully bounces me awake. A groan fills my throat as I try to mend a splitting headache. Thankfully the wind brought me somewhere even colder than before, it's somewhere covered in snow. Wait, snow. The wind's trying to bring me to the pole.

"No," I say in a raspy voice trying to fight the force. To keep my dignity intact, I tell myself that I'm just weak but in reality; it's impossible to win against the wind.

I lay back trying to enjoy the ride while it lasts. I close my eyes but the second I see dark a distant memory comes to mind. I'm sitting in my tree, the branch I'm on is breaking. If I move it'll snap. Then I rush to the ground.

My eyes snap open, is that why I'm afraid of thin branches? I fell out once? I don't remember it happening. Maybe it effected my memory somehow. Maybe I hit my head.

Before I can think any further we reach our destination. What am I going to say to them? I'll have to figure it out soon. The wind sets me on the ledge and I climb through the window. Everyone looks up at me thankful that I'm back.

"Where's your friend, mate?" Bunny asks in an Australian accent. I don't know how to break it so I just look down. The rabbit's ears flatten and Tooth gasps.

"I'm the last seasonal spirit, he's going to come after me," I say with a hint of fear in my voice. I can't do that anymore, it just feeds Pitch.

"We have to stop Pitch, no?" North asks. The others nod in agreement.

"Autumn, you have to stay here; if Pitch gets you, it's over," Tooth says.

"What if he comes here?"

"Yetis will stop him," North adds. "We must go, to the sleigh!"

"Wait! Sandy should stay back, he can't go near Pitch either," Bunny says.

"Why?" I ask, that explains why he wouldn't fight when he was here.

"Dreams," North points to Sandy. "Nightmares," points outside. "Poyekhali!" North yells, clapping his hands and goes out of the room.

Tooth and Bunny look confused for a minute but then follow North. I rise my eyebrow at Sandy, but he just replies with a shrug. We both sit down on the couch. I can hold it in any longer, I have to ask.

"Sandy? What's a dream?" I feel stupid asking because it's something that everyone just talks naturally about. Sandy has his jaw wide open and looks more shocked than anticipated. I throw my hands up in defense.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even know we could sleep until yesterday." Sandy looks at me like I'm from mars, maybe I shouldn't have asked.

"Jack was going to show me but I just got, I guess, a nightmare and when I woke up Jack was gone." I say, why does he always have to leave. Sandy looks sad but then forms two things over his head. A pair of hands together and a thumb's up.

"Were Jack and I good friends?" I ask with a smile. He nods. "Ya, I've known him ever since I woke up."

Sandy forms a question mark over his head. "What?" I ask. Sandy puts his hand on his arms with his eyes closed, then jerks his head up. "Woke up?" Geez, it's hard to understand him. He nods with his eyebrows furrowed.

"You know, when you wake up; it's hard to explain" I sigh. "It's the first thing I remember." Sandy makes two figures, one goes through the other. "Ya, I know! I'm still invisible," I say throwing my hands up in the air.

Sandy shakes his hand, points to me then to the figure still intact. "Me a human?" Sandy nods intrigued. "No, I was never one." Sandy shakes his head sadly, points to me and to the figure. "What are you saying? Wait! Are you saying I had a life before this!" I ask, I need answers; I've been waiting 300 years for them.

"Everyone has one," a deep voice comes from the shadows, Pitch. I get an arrow ready and spring from the couch. A shadow creeps out of nowhere and chases Sandy. He runs until it traps him in the corner. I'll help him later, right now I have to deal with Pitch.

"How do you keep finding me?" I ask through clenched teeth.

"Easy, Onyx helped me put a tracker in you," Pitch says pointing to my arm. Cautiously I lift my sleeve up to find a souvenir from Onyx's and I's first meeting. The cut still has black spiraling out, how could I forget? I could I be such an idiot?

When I look up, Pitch is only a couple of feet away. I suddenly get a boost of confidence when I remember a tiny detail.

"If you wanted to kill me, you've had plenty of chances; you would've done it by now" I say narrowing my eyes at him.

"No, I don't want to kill you… yet." Pitch laughs. "No, our fun is just beginning; it's you and me against the world. We can be unstoppable, the magic of a seasonal and fear; you can control the weather and I can control people's emotions. Everyone will believe."

"People, believe? In me?" I ask, it seems too good to be true.

"Yes! You don't have to be invisible anymore! You just have to join me," It scares me how convincing he can be. "I can help you with your past. Haven't you wondered what those visions of yours mean?"

"How did you-?" I ask shocked, he can't know about them; unless. Pitch is in my head.

"Autumn, I'm the spirit of fear! Those little memories give me more power than imaginable, they feed your biggest fear," Pitch smiles.

"And what would that be?" he can't know my fear if I don't even know, right?

"Yourself!" Pitch yells making it echo through the workshop. "You are afraid of messing up, being yourself because you don't want people to leave. I can assure you that once you know about your human life, that fear will dull."

"And what do you know about me past?"

"I just know about your nightmares, that's all the information I need," Pitch starts walking towards me, as I reflex I back away.

"I've only had one."

"No! Not as a spirit in your human life." Does he really remember all of them? "If you join me, you will be in control, you will have purpose; you will know all about Autumn Everard." Pitch takes a handful of black sand which begins to form a rectangle. The sand sharpens and I realize it's a picture.

Pitch hands me the old paper. The photo is in black and white but also faded as if it was from 300 years ago. A girl in a plain dark dress walks through the street. She has long curly hair in a braid to the side. In her hand is an old wooden bow. She is oddly dressed for the time period. Then I realize, this is me as a human.

"So, what do you say," Pitch outstretches his hand. Cautiously I walk towards him, I shouldn't be doing this. But what choice do I have? I've been waiting centuries for these answers and he's the only on willing to say them.

I shake his hand sealing the deal. A shadow sets over my hand and moves up my arm, I quickly back away in fear trying to get the darkness off me. My skin turns a dull grey and my hair jet black. A cold shiver runs up my spine as my body changes. Pitch walks over to the shadows.

"Let's go visit your friends, shall we?"

I walk slowly to the darkness and put my hand in it. It goes way farther than it should. Pitch walks through. _It's just like a portal_ I tell myself. Then I walk through the shadow, the cold darkness engulfing.


End file.
